Aerith's Tale
by Aerith Gainsbrough
Summary: Final Fantasy VII from Aerith's POV.
1. Introduction

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in this. But I sure wish I did.

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Four years, has it really been so long?

I watched him leave four years go. And something inside of me knew he wasn't going to return. Despite all of his promises of what we would do when he returned.

But now all I can do is wait. Wait for a day that will never come. Wait in the pink dress he would have loved so much. Wait with the flower basket he made, just for me.

My routine was the same for almost all of those four years. Wake up. Pray to the Goddess. Tend the flowers. Earn a few gill. Go home. Help Elmyra. Go to bed. Wash, rinse, repeat.

And all of that time I would wait for something to remind me of him, or for something to give me closer. Did you know that I actually sent him 89 letters? All in the hope that he would once again prove me wrong. That he would return to me.

And then you came.

You came and rescued me from the existence I had banished myself to after he left. Do you know how much like him you are? When I look at you, I sometimes see him. And I know how horrible that sounds, and how much I would hate myself if you ever knew that. But it's true.

You look like the mirror image of him at some moments. Or at least who he had become at the end.

The only real difference is that you don't have his smile. Actually, I don't think that I've ever seen you smile, Cloud. Maybe it's just that you save all your smiles for when I'm asleep. I wouldn't doubt it; in fact I think you do.

I want you to know something.

It's important.

No matter what happens, I'm glad that I met you.

This is our story, all of ours.

* * *

This is the lovely introduction to Aerith's Tale!

More to come very soon!


	2. Church in the Slums

Okay! Here's the first chapter!

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I was just standing there minding my own business when I heard the explosions. Of course, then I had no idea that you were behind them. Or that one day, I would be a part of Avalanche as well. I was so worried that someone was hurt; of course, the only people who had been hurt were the Shinra SOLDIERS and a few others. But still.

And in the midst of what I knew was about to be chaos, you still bought a flower from me. I wonder whom you ended up giving that flower to.

Was it Tifa?

I don't know why it bothers me so much that you knew her longer. I feel so guilty for feeling that way about her, because she really has become one of my best friends. Maybe it's because sometimes, I think you're him.

And a few days passed before you plummeted into my life. Falling through my roof and onto my bed of flowers. For a second, I thought that it was him coming back. That it was his way of returning to me. By repeating the same instance that we met. The same instance that I fell in love with him.

You know, in a way it was the same moment I fell in love with you too.

The way you laid there I wondered if you were dead, but I knew you weren't. Because when I asked if you were all right, you woke up. And it started all over again.

"I came crashing down?"

You said this as if you were oblivious to everything before that moment. I actually kind of envied what that might have felt like. Not knowing what it was like to have your heart broken to an extent that you prayed everyday for it to reverse. But now, I'm glad I didn't forget all of my time with him. Because those years where some of the best I would ever have.

But I smiled at you anyway.

"The roof and the flower bed must have broken your fall. You're lucky."

You stood up and brushed your clothes off, as you asked me if the flowers you had landed on where mine. I remember thinking that was one of the silliest things I was ever asked. Truth be told, I think it was the silliest thing you ever did ask me. When you apologized I suddenly realized you had crushed a cookie cutter image of yourself into the flowers.

And do you know what?

For once, it didn't really matter to me. Because you were with me, and in a way… So was he.

I didn't know it then, but he was always with you too. Even though you thought you were so alone. He was somewhere in you too.

Just like he was somewhere inside of me.

"That's all right. The flowers here are quite resilient because this is a sacred place. They say you can't grow grass and flowers in Midgar. But for some reason, the flowers have no trouble blooming here. I love it here."

You were so easy to talk to. But then, I thought it was because you looked so much like him.

Actually, that might have been the case.

Because through everything, I don't think I ever met the real you.

Gaia told me that you were hidden, that I would have to help you somehow. When it said that though, I couldn't imagine that to help you I would have to die.

I think the day he left my fate was sealed. By stealing him away, Shinra had stolen my fate as well. Because when he left, I became a fighter. I fought everyday to keep going, and in the end I would die fighting for the survival of Gaia.

What more could the last ancient ask for?

But I'm getting ahead of myself aren't I?

When you said you remembered me, it was like my heart skipped a beat. You made me so happy, just by telling me you remembered the flowers.

You took me by surprise when you asked if I had any materia. I couldn't figure out if that meant anything special to you if I was skilled with materia or not. So of course, I told you the truth.

"Yes, some." I told you this, and my expression struggled to stay nonchalant.

"Nowadays you can find materia anywhere."

It was the cute, the way you tried to start up some small talk about materia. I thought it was funny, because you seemed the type who didn't want to say to much. Like there was something missing.

So I told you about my materia, my special materia. The one that in a few months time, would help you save the planet.

"But mine is special. It's good for absolutely nothing."

Your expression was priceless when I said this. Like I had just insulted your mother or something like that.

".....good for nothing? You probably just don't know how to use it."

You were wrong. I knew exactly what it did, and exactly how to use it. But to explain what it did, and how I knew what it did to a complete and total suicide for me. And a part of me felt like I shouldn't tell you, because I never told him.

"No, I do... it just doesn't do anything, I feel safe just having it. It was my mother's..."

This was the first and last time I would ever lie to you Cloud. And even if it was a lie, it wasn't a complete lie, because it had been my mothers. She had given it to me before she died.

We talked for only a few moments, and I could tell that I loved you. Or at least, I loved who you represented in my eyes., who you resembled so much. I wish I had been given the chance to fall in love with the real you.

I wonder if we could have been happy, or if you would always just be his replacement.


End file.
